Clamping device



W. E M CLI NTOCK March 14, 1933- CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Oqt. 14. 1931 clamping device shown in "assembly thereof;

Patented Mar. I4, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM MCO LINTOOK, OF BELLEVUE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 ALLIS- CHALMEBS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, CORPORA- TION OF DELAWARE OLAJEPING DEVICE v,

Application filed October 14, 1931. Serial No. 568,695.

This invention relates in general to clamping devices, and. more particularly to devices for clamping reactors, transformers and the like'in placein casings.

The problem which applicant has solved is best understood by reference to the transformer art wherein it has been usual practice to hold transformer coil and core assemblies in place within casings by various devices, such as clamping screws-extending through the casing near. the base thereof, raised portions on the bottom of the tank, resilient. members mounted on the, core and adapted to engage the side walls of the casing, lugs welded to the casing walls, and wedges of various kinds. 7

It isan object of this invention to pro- :vide an improved device for retaining transformers andthe like in casings.

It is a further object of this inventlon to provide aclamping device which also serves to guide the transformer coil and comessembly relative to the casing during assembly and disassembly thereof. p

It is a further object of this invention to rovide a simple clamping member which is adapted to engage with a guide rail.

- These and other objects andadvantages v are attained by this invention, various novel features of whichwill be apparent from the description of the drawing herein,- and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims. 7 r j Various illustrative examples of the. ap-

accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a side view of a transformer with itscasing broken away to show an embodiment ofthe invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side view ofthe Figure 1 during Figure 3 shows" the clamping device of Figure 2'in'its final clamping position;

,Figure 4 is a section view taken" on the line IVIV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is aside viewof a modified form of clamping device embodying this inven- Figure 6 is a section view taken along line VIVI of Figure 5; and V Figure 7 is a view of the transformer shown in Figure 1 taken on line VIIVII of Figure 1 and with the cover and clampin g element removed.

The transformer shown in Figure 1 is provided with a casing having side walls 10,

a bottom member 11 welded thereto, and a cover member 12 adapted to be clamped on the side walls. A transformer coil and core assembly 13 is immersed in insulating" liquid 14 and is provided with conductor cables 15 which are connected to bushing terminal members 16 of any suitable type. The core of the coil and core assembl 13 is clamped by means of horizontal ang e irons 17 and vertical angle irons 18 which are held in place by means of bolts 19. A plurality of guide members20, 21, 22, and 23, are at tached to the angle irons by means of bolts 24, 25, 26, and 27, respectively. A pair of upright guide rail 28 and 28' are welded to the side walls 10 of the transformer casing at diametrically opposite points.

\ The manner in which groove 26 of guide member 20 cooperates with guide rail 28 is more clearly shownin Figure 7, noting that in some instances it is desirable to weld guide member 20 to the horizontal angle irons 17 and 17, instead of usin bolts 24 and 24". While the drawings ows two pairs of guide members 20, 23 and 21, 22, it is to be understood that in actual practice an upper and a lower crosspiece having grooves in each end thereof is also used in lieu thereof. In assembling the transformer the coil and core assembly is lowered into the transformer tank in such a manner that the guide members 20, 21, 22, and 23, slide upon guide rails 28 and 28. The drawing shows that the weight of the coil and core assembly is transmitted, by the heads of .bolts 25' and 26 to the tank bottom 11, but

it is. to be understood that any suitable and well known supporting means may be used instead. in place in the transformer tank by means of clamping elements 29 and 30, which will be described more in detail hereafter.

The coil and core assembly is held a pair of finger members 36 andf37 which are adapted to engage said pair of slots 38 in the flange portion 37 Thebody portion 31 is also provided with a threaded hole 34; adapted toreceive a machine screw 39 which is locked in adjusted position relative thereto by means of "nut 40. The inner surfaces of the T-shaped slot in body portion 31 are so formed as to readily permit the clamping,

device to slide fupon guide rail 28.

After the coil and core assembly have been lowered into the tank as above described, the clamping elements 29 and 30 are slicldown on the rails 28 and 28 'as shown in Figure 2 until the finger 36 and 37 are opposite the slots 38.; The fingers 36fand 37 are next moved into" the respective slots 38 as shown in Figure 3, then clamping screw 38 is "screwed down into engagementwithfguide plate untilsufiicient pressureis exerted casing.

thereupon to firmly hold the coil and core assembly within the transformer tank. Locknut '40 is then tightened to prevent loosening of the clamping device.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, it is to be noted that the guide rail 41 in this form of invention comprises a channel member of substantially l-section havlng flanges 42 and 43. Flange 42 is welded to the side 'wall lO,

and flange 43 is provided with a hole 47 drilled or otherwise formed therein. The

clamping device 29 differs from the clampin-g'device shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, in that a button or'pin m'emb'er46 is utilized to project into hole-47 ratherth'an a'pair of finger I members. This clamping device, however, is provided with a pair of finger members 44. and 45 which extend around flange 43 and serve as guide members. The operation of this embodiment of the inven ..tion is substantially the same as that above described. I I I A It isthus seen that a simple ruggedand easily made device has been devised which is capable of preventing lateral and longitudinal movement ofa transformer coil and core assembly, react-anceor the like in a It'is to be understood that the disclosure herein described'is merely illustrative of the f injention and is not to be taken in a limiting asense, changes inthe form of the guide rails,

clamping member, and guide members, and

the arrangement of parts being permissible so long as within the SPlIlbOf the invention and the scope of the claims which follow.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, a casing having a side wall, a pair of stationary flanged bars arranged in parallel spaced relation within said casing and attached tov said side wall,

a removable device having a plurality of guide members slidably cooperating with said flanged bars, and locking means engaging said flanged bars for preventing. the removal of said device fromsaid casing.

2. In combination, 'a tank, a pair of' upright stationary rail members mounted within said tank, a device having a plurality of guide members cooperatmg with said rail members to prevent lateral movement of said device'withinfsaid tank, and

means attached to said rail membersfor' preventing upward movement of said device'relative to said rail members.

3. In a combination, a tank havingvertical sidewalls, a pair of rails attached to said sidewalls and each having ahead por tion, ,a pair of clamps each having "arms slidably embracingsaid head portions and having at least one projecting portion, each.

of saidhead portions having at least one cut away portion adapted to receive said projecting portion, an electrical device hav- I ing a plurality of guide membersslidable over said rails to prevent lateral movement of said device, and meansfor urging said projecting portion into engagement with said head portion so as to lock said electrical device in place in said tank.

4. In combination, a tank, a pair of chanand each having a detent portion, each of said channel, members also having a, cut away portion adapted to receive said detent portions, a plurality of guide members I cooperating with each of said flanges, and

means carried by said clamping members for biasing said guide member ai'zvaylztrom said cut away portions; 7

' transformer casing,

5. In combination, a

'a pluralityof upright flanged members at-.

tached to said casing, a transformer assembly having a plurality of guide members cooperating with said flanged members for sliding said assembly intosaid-casing, said 'nel members attached'to said tankand each having, 2. flange, clamping members each having arms embracing one. of said flanges.

member havingslots :therein, a plurality of clamping devices -slidable on -said;flanged members for locking said assembly in place in said casing, said clamping deviceshavingfingers projecting into said slots.

6. In combination, a transformer-casing,

I a plurality of upright flanged members at,-

tached tosaid' casing, a transformer assembly havinga'plurality of guide member's cooperatingfwith said'flanged members forsliding said assembly into said casing; each of said members having a recess] therein, a plurality of clamping devices slidable on said flanged members for preventing longitudinal movement of said assembly relative to said casing, said clamping devices each having a pin portion projecting into said recess.

7 Means for holding a transformer coil and core assembly in a tank which comprises in combination, a vertical guide member attached to said tank, a guide plate attached to a i said core and havin a groove cooperating I with said guide mem er, and means slidable on said guidemember for exerting a clamping force on said guide plate.

8. Means for holdin a transformer coil and core assembly in p ace in a tank which comprises in combination, an upright rail member having a base portion attached to an inner wall of saidtank, a guide member attached to said transformer core and adapted to slide vertically on said rail, and a clamp adapted to slide on said rail and provided with means for clamping said clamp to said rail and for exerting a force on said guide member.

In testimon whereof, the signature of the inventor is a xed hereto.

WILLIAM ELMER MCCLINTOCK. 

